Kit could feel the thrill of adventure coursing through his veins once more. He couldn't wait to set off towards the village and expend some of his pent-up energy. As he made his way through the tall blades of grass, a lone white flower caught his eye. He had a faint recollection of seeing them before. Crouching down, Kit plucked one of the flowers from its place in the greenery.

He used identify.

[Bloodroot]

A white flower with eight petals. Its root is a bright red colour due to the sap running through the plant. Has various uses. Found at the bottom of the Spirit Devouring Ranges.

Kit had thought he had experienced all the surprises for the day, but he was happy to be proven wrong. He had discovered the plant Morrigan used to extend the lifespan of a stats dish. Excited, Kit let out a joyful shout.

Mars and Twix gave him questioning looks. Kit eagerly showed them the flower and instructed them to collect as much as they could, including the root.

Twix informed Kit that it was just a weed and would easily grow in abundance. This only made Kit more thrilled - he would never run out of these flowers! After quickly collecting the bloodroot, they headed towards the lake where Kit believed he would find Spartan Fire. However, as they approached, Kit became increasingly confused. Instead of a village, there were only three mud huts by the bank of the lake.

"Um, Twix...is this really Spartan Fire?" Kit asked.

Twix pointed to the huts with a finger. "Yep, those are our Spartan Fire houses." Pride was evident in Twix voice.

Kit couldn't believe it - these small huts were considered a village? He felt disappointed and wondered how players could even spawn here if they died.

Would they have to make the long journey from Red Splash village every time? With such high levels and dangers in the area, it seemed unlikely that they could find their way back without dying several times.

He was practical about it. Every time Kit learned something new about the Forsaken state, he felt like the treasure was slipping further from his grasp. He wondered if he should just give up on finding the treasure and instead open a restaurant to enjoy his remaining 8 months of game time. His mind was racing and he turned to Mars for input.

"Is this a village?" Mars sounded incredulous, echoing Kit's earlier thoughts.

"No, Spartan Fire is still just a hamlet. We need at least 50 residents before we can apply to become a small village," Twix explained with frustration. "But my Grandpa has been trying to grow it for as long as I can remember."

Kit had a sinking feeling that he was right about not being able to respawn in this area. He couldn't help but ask, "Twix, are there any stone arches around here?"

"Are you talking about the ones for CAL blessed people? We can't access those until we become a small village," Twix clarified.

"What does 'CAL blessed' mean?" Kit asked, confused.

Twix gave him a strange look. "Wait, you're not CAL blessed? But you said you could respawn! I assumed you were CAL blessed."

Kit realised that the game must have given players a reason for respawning, and being CAL blessed must be the answer. He was curious to learn more about it.

"Actually, Mars and I only recently became CAL blessed. We're not really sure how or why," Kit admitted.

“It's normal for people to forget what they did to receive CAL’s blessing”. explained Twix. “Congrats, by the way. I've always wanted to be one of the blessed ones. I'm a bit envious,” Twix said with a twinkle in his eyes as he looked at Kit and Mars. He could see a hint of admiration return in their gaze.

Kit felt a blush creep up his ears. He was embarrassed that Twix saw them as special. They had only played a game, after all. But to Twix, it seemed like they had achieved something truly incredible. Kit couldn't help but feel guilty that his new friend would never experience the same blessing.

To distract himself from the awkwardness, Kit changed the subject. “So if you can get Spartan Fire to have 50 residents, you can have a respawn arch?”

“Yes, that's our goal. My grandpa says once we have that, our town can finally grow. Having a respawn arch means a steady stream of people coming into our village. We'll be able to attract merchants and business owners to set up shop here.”

“There's nothing here now that would make people want to visit,” Twix explained. “The only time we get visitors is when they come to negotiate with one of our townspeople to take them up the mountain. That's how we make our living.”

Kit was surprised by Twix's words. If the whole town was able to escort people up the mountain, then they must all be at a high level. He realised that training here with such skilled players could actually improve his own skills. Twix's offer to help him reach level 100 suddenly seemed more attainable.

Before, Kit had been worried about how he would continue playing once his subscription ended. Now, he saw it as an opportunity to play longer instead of a crisis waiting to happen. He was determined to continue raising his level, and now he also needed to figure out where to start his restaurant.

He didn't think a small town like Spartan Fire would be ideal, but perhaps if he explored nearby towns and found a decently-sized one, he could establish a restaurant there. He didn't want to stray too far from the area in case he reached level 100 and could finally access the hidden treasure. Despite his change of mindset, he wasn't foolish; if there was a way to extend his playing time, he would take it. But for now, he decided not to waste his energy stressing about the end date. With that resolved in his mind, Kit looked forward to meeting Twix's grandfather.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Twix led Mars and Kit to three mud huts spaced out in a triangular formation. As they approached, Kit examined one of the huts up close. They were an earthy orange colour with a rough texture, but surprisingly solid when inspected closely. The straw roofing formed cones and emitted a pleasant earthy smell. Kit noticed they were simple in design, with just one circular room inside.

As Kit was examining the buildings, an elderly man walked out of one of the huts. He was tall and still strong for his age, with long grey hair tied in a bun on top of his head. His face was lined with laughter and he wore animal skins like many other NPCs in the area. A wide smile spread across his face as he greeted the trio.

"Twix my boy, welcome back! And who are your friends?" the old man asked.

"Grandpa, this is Kit and Mars. I met them at Red Splash village and brought them here after some trouble with the locals," Twix replied.

"Welcome to Spartan Fire, boys. How long do you plan on staying?" the grandfather asked.

Kit looked at Mars and Twix, realising he hadn't thought about how much time he would spend here. With the mountain path blocked and unable to reach the cave where the treasure was hidden, he needed to come up with a new plan. He would need money for land and unique recipes to sell at his restaurant.

Mars noticed Kit's lost expression. "We're not sure how long we'll be staying, sir."

"Grandpa, Kit and Mars want to climb the mountain, but their levels aren't high enough. I was hoping you could create a training plan for them like you did for me," Twix explained.

The elderly man studied Kit and Mars with a critical eye, his eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Well, creating a training plan would be simple enough, but there's a catch. I only provide training plans to residents of Spartan Fire. Strangers would need to join a guild or find a master in their field to learn from."

Kit couldn't help feeling disappointed, although he knew it was a long shot. Finding a teacher on this new planet was proving to be a difficult task.

"Grandpa, don't be like that. These are my first friends and now I'm even part of their team. You can't be mean to Twix's friends." whined Twix.

The old man looked surprised. "Friends...hmm, well if they become residents of Spartan Fire then I suppose it would be acceptable to teach them. They would no longer be strangers."

A glint appeared in the old man's eyes and Kit realised this was his goal all along - to recruit two more residents for the town. Holding back his laughter, Kit decided to play along. "So all we have to do is become residents and we will receive a training plan?"

"Yes, that's what I said. Can't have just anyone learning my techniques." hummed the old man.

Kit saw a flicker of excitement in the old man's eyes before he quickly hid it. Deciding not to mention anything yet, Kit pulled Mars aside for a quick discussion. He wanted to include Twix, but as an NPC, he had to exclude him from the conversation. Remembering the hurt look on Twix's face earlier, Kit felt guilty.

He apologised with a nod before pulling Mars away so they wouldn't be overheard by the old man or Twix. When they were at a safe distance, Kit was surprised by Mars' reaction - he was practically beaming with happiness.

"Kit, this is amazing! We were offered residency! Do you know how long my brothers have been trying to get permanent residency in the city they're in? FIVE years! We have to accept."

Kit was taken aback by Mars' enthusiasm. He wasn't quite sure what the big deal was about getting residency in a town. Curious, he asked Mars.

"I don't really know what it entails, but I've heard from everyone that it's something desirable. My brothers have bought multiple houses and completed countless city quests, but haven't been granted permanent residency yet. They only have temporary residency for now."

"It's not easy for players to gain permanent residency. We need to find out if it's temporary or permanent residency being offered." Kit could hear the excitement in Mars' voice as they discussed their options.

“I don't mind having permanent residency in Spartan Fire as long as we gain some benefits. But my concern is that I'll have to open my restaurant in town. The problem is, Spartan Fire doesn't have enough customers or traffic. How will I make a profit?”

Kit could see Mars visibly calm down after he brought up his concerns. He knew Mars wanted to accept the offer, but he was willing to hold off for Kit's sake.

"Listen, Kit, even if you have to build your restaurant in Spartan Fire to get permanent residency, I still think we should accept the offer. There's no rule that says we can't help grow a town and increase its size. Didn't Twix say that with 50 residents, they can expand the hamlet and open a respawn arch?"

"What did you just say?" Kit couldn't believe what he was hearing. Mars had come up with a solution he never even considered - increasing the size of the town.

"We'll make Spartan Fire bigger. There's no rule saying we can't do that. So let's do it. If something is standing in the way of your dream, we'll find a way around it."

Kit was amazed by Mars' idea. He never would have thought of it himself. "Mars, you're a genius! I'm so lucky to have you as my best friend. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Mars had a look of shock on his face. "I'm your best friend?"

"I finally have a best friend!" Mars' smile was beaming and contagious.

Kit couldn't help but laugh at his expression. "Yes, Mars. You have a best friend."

In that moment, Kit realised how much Mars meant to him and how much he needed him by his side. He felt hopeful and determined once again - with Mars by his side, they could achieve anything. And for the first time, Kit truly understood the value of friendship.

Kit pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and focused on their goal - making Spartan Fire bigger.

The idea filled him with excitement. Obtaining residency in this town could mean great things. Could they use their skills to help develop and expand the town? If so, he would consider opening his restaurant here at Spartan Fire. The main obstacle would be the cost of land. Unfortunately, he didn't have enough saved up.

He remembered hearing that a decent plot of land in Flower Fields went for around 60 gold coins. This town was just a small hamlet, so hopefully it would be more affordable. Kit's excitement grew at the thought. If he built his restaurant here when he reached level 100, they would already be at the start of their journey to conquer the mountain. In fact, it was only about an hour's walk from where he stood.

Kit's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, mirroring Mars'. "That's right, we can help build up the town! It's possible, right?"

He wanted to confirm with Mars before letting his hopes get too high.

"Absolutely," Mars confirmed with equal excitement. "We can build a whole damn town, open a restaurant, and level up all at once!"

Mars' fervour was contagious and Kit caught it quickly. They were going to build a town together! And not just any town - they were going to make it the best one in the Forsaken state. Kit's expectations soared as he realised that he had originally planned to simply enjoy playing the game, but now he was determined to make a huge impact.

"LET'S DO THIS!" Kit exclaimed.

"HELL YES, LET'S DO IT!" Mars echoed enthusiastically.